NBA Draft Thoughts
Not too many surprises at the top, although with all the smokescreens going out the expected was kind of unexpected.
Pat Riley and the Heat really hung poor Michael Beasley out to dry. With all the last minute fly-ins and talk of them not being enamored with Beasley it created a media fervor over Beasley's character, demeanor and attitude. And it ended up being completely unnecessary because they took him anyway. It certainly doesn't start your relationship with the young man well when you cause him to go through all that for the purposes of seeming elusive or whatever.
I was glad to see Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook go high. I'm still very much sold on Love as an NBA player. People are counting him out but I think he's going to be an elite player in the NBA.
With the NFL draft, the booing of picks doesn't bother me at all because with so many players on a team it's really easy to just play well, fit in, and get over that hostility. But with the NBA, I think fans that heavily boo picks are being really idiotic. It totally gets you off on the wrong footing, and a young lottery pick in the NBA is going to be under much more individual scrutiny during games. The reaction to Gallinari seemed really unnecessary, even if you don't like the pick. And it's not like he's one of these European kids that is playing 10 minutes and getting drafted high solely based on athletic potential.
I was kind of down on Jerryd Bayless as a top five guy that he was being projected as in many places, but he's an absolute steal at 11. Tremendous talent, and the key is just finding a way to get him to contribute to a successful overall system.
I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE the Wizards pick of Javale McGee. It made me very angry. I wish they had selected one of the blue chip guys who came into college with the hype and did well in college. Like say, Darrell Arthur, who was available. Instead they draft a guy who did well but not spectacularly in the WAC, and is likely to just be another big body in the NBA. Drafting for need rather than the best player almost always fails in the NBA. Crappy, crappy pick in my book. But what do I know?
Update: Ernie Grunfeld all but admitted to the press that he had other people targeted (Roy Hibbert, Robin Lopez) but that when they were scooped up he had to settle for McGee. As I said previously, taking the next best player at a particular position almost always backfires in the NBA. I do like the second round pick of Bill Walker much better though. Big time talent if he's healthy.
Update 2: Well, so much for that. Wiz sold Bill Walker to the Celtics for cash. Wizards fans are just trashing this draft online, and rightfully so. What a horrible job by Wiz management.
Pat Riley and the Heat really hung poor Michael Beasley out to dry. With all the last minute fly-ins and talk of them not being enamored with Beasley it created a media fervor over Beasley's character, demeanor and attitude. And it ended up being completely unnecessary because they took him anyway. It certainly doesn't start your relationship with the young man well when you cause him to go through all that for the purposes of seeming elusive or whatever.
I was glad to see Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook go high. I'm still very much sold on Love as an NBA player. People are counting him out but I think he's going to be an elite player in the NBA.
With the NFL draft, the booing of picks doesn't bother me at all because with so many players on a team it's really easy to just play well, fit in, and get over that hostility. But with the NBA, I think fans that heavily boo picks are being really idiotic. It totally gets you off on the wrong footing, and a young lottery pick in the NBA is going to be under much more individual scrutiny during games. The reaction to Gallinari seemed really unnecessary, even if you don't like the pick. And it's not like he's one of these European kids that is playing 10 minutes and getting drafted high solely based on athletic potential.
I was kind of down on Jerryd Bayless as a top five guy that he was being projected as in many places, but he's an absolute steal at 11. Tremendous talent, and the key is just finding a way to get him to contribute to a successful overall system.
I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE the Wizards pick of Javale McGee. It made me very angry. I wish they had selected one of the blue chip guys who came into college with the hype and did well in college. Like say, Darrell Arthur, who was available. Instead they draft a guy who did well but not spectacularly in the WAC, and is likely to just be another big body in the NBA. Drafting for need rather than the best player almost always fails in the NBA. Crappy, crappy pick in my book. But what do I know?
Update: Ernie Grunfeld all but admitted to the press that he had other people targeted (Roy Hibbert, Robin Lopez) but that when they were scooped up he had to settle for McGee. As I said previously, taking the next best player at a particular position almost always backfires in the NBA. I do like the second round pick of Bill Walker much better though. Big time talent if he's healthy.
Update 2: Well, so much for that. Wiz sold Bill Walker to the Celtics for cash. Wizards fans are just trashing this draft online, and rightfully so. What a horrible job by Wiz management.
posted by Todd Martin at 6:23 PM
1 Comments:
I was following the draft coverage online. Celtics fans were disappointed with their #30 selection. They had hoped to draft Bill Walker. 45 minutes later they were elated. Danny has done it again!
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